


On The Subject Of Moomintroll

by bookworm116



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: F/M, M/M, Snufkin and Snorkmaiden t a l k
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-04 21:30:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18821119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookworm116/pseuds/bookworm116
Summary: Snufkin wasn't sure why he and the Snorkmaiden had never spent any time together outside of the group.No, that wasn't right, he knew exactly why.It was the fact that he was desperately, hopelessly in love with a certain Moomintroll and the fact that Snorkmaiden was dating said Moomin.





	On The Subject Of Moomintroll

Snufkin wasn't sure why he and the Snorkmaiden had never spent any time together outside of the group.

No, that wasn't right, he knew exactly why.

It was the fact that he was desperately, hopelessly in love with a certain Moomintroll and the fact that Snorkmaiden was dating said Moomin.

It was the simple fact that Snufkin couldn't handle it when Snorkmaiden started gushing about Moomin and how wonderful he was, and all his good qualities, because it made Snufkin feel so simply awful, because he loved those qualities just as much as Snorkmaiden did, if not more.

It was the fact that he wouldn't be able to be stoic forever if there was someone sitting right next to him telling him all about how wonderful Moomin was.  
But that was not all that Snorkmaiden was. She loved flowers and nature and shared many of the same interests Snufkin did.

So when she approached him one day on the bridge, he let her.  
When she started talking about Moomin, Snufkin ducked his head and pretended to concentrate on fishing.  
He really was trying.

"And well, Snufkin, what do you think?" She asked, bitterly. He was supposed to be paying attention, he knew.

"What do I think about what?" He asked.

"About Moomin!" Snorkmaiden said.

What did he think about Moomin?

**What did he think about Moomin??**

An awful lot. A whole lot of nonsense and fluffy thoughts that he would not care to divulge to anyone, much less Moomin's girlfriend.

"I don't know how to tell him," She said sourly.

"Tell him what?" Snufkin asked, again confused.

Snorkmaiden sighed and pulled her legs up so she could push her face into them.

"How do I tell him I think we should break up?"

Snufkin choked.

Snufkin legitimately could not breathe.

"Are- are you okay?" The Snorkmaiden asked worriedly.

"Yes, yes, fine," Snfukin said, red in the face.

"I'm sorry I'm asking you such a hard question, Snufkin. I mean, you-"

"No- it's fine. I'm just-"

"-Love him and all, and I figured you would know how to break it to him gently."

"Excuse me?" Snufkin said.

"I figured you would know how to break it to him...?"

"No, no, what did you say before that?"

"You love him?"

"I...."

Snorkmaiden put her feet back down and dangled them above the water.

"I've known for a while. You're not very subtle. And I have to say, while I'm glad you haven't acted on it while Moomin and I were dating..."

"I- you-you. What?" Snufkin squeaked.

"I'm really not at all glad, Snufkin." She said and turned to him.

All that snufkin could get out was a strangled noise that sounded kind of like a dying cat.

Snorkmaiden again looked concerned.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"L-love?" He managed.

Snorkmaiden stood up to her full height, there on the bridge.

"Snufkin, you're being a child. Yes, I said love. I know you love him. There's no need to get hysterical."

Oh, but he was already hysterical. He still couldn't breathe. Who else knew? He hadn't thought that Snorkmaiden was a very observant girl, but she'd seen right through him. How many others had seen it? Did little My know? Was she just waiting for the right moment to pounce on his only weakness?

"H-how did you know?"

Snorkmaiden's expression softened. She looked like a mother, of sorts. She would probably be a great one someday. She was caring and all that.

"I see how you look at him. I see how you look at him like he's the only one in the world, like he's the entire sun. Like he's something to be treasured. I see how you lose it when you think no one's watching you. I see how you hold yourself around him. You pretend not to be nervous. It's very easy to see, from one person who loves Moomintroll to another."

They did indeed share a lot in common.

"But..." She continued, quietly. "Moomin only loves one of us like that. And I know who it is."

"You," Snufkin said confusedly. "He's dating you."

Snorkmaiden gave him a stare.

"Haven't you heard a word I've said? I want to break up with him because he's in love with you."

Snufkin fell off the bridge.

* * *

"Okay, let's try this again," Snorkmaiden said. They were back on the bridge. She'd helped pull him out of the water and he'd sat there for a long while, contemplating whether to pack up and leave forever.

"You love Moomintroll, correct?"

Snufkin stood very still. Maybe she was like a wild animal, if he was motionless, she'd leave him alone.

She did not, only stared at him almost disappointedly.

"Alright. You don't have to answer. Moomin loves you, right?"

"I don't... I don't know," he mumbled. 

Snorkmaiden rolled her eyes impatiently but sighed and continued.

"Moomin loves you. And I can't date him anymore, for that fact, and the fact that I might be looking at somebody else... It's all very confusing, and I'd rather not be tied down. You understand that, don't you? Not being tied down?"

Snufkin nodded dazedly.

_Love. She'd said Moomin loved him._

"Anyway, I was coming to you to ask you how you would go about breaking up with Moomintroll. In a compassionate manner."

_Compassionate. Love. Moomin loved him._

"Look, Snufkin, could you just talk to me? It would be so much easier."

"He loves me," Snufkin said, amazed, turning to Snorkmaiden and breaking into a grin. "Does he? He really does?"

"I thought you were very wise, Snufkin, but it turns out you're just as clueless as Moomin." She said grumpily.

That shut Snufkin up for only a second before he was cackling like a fool.

"He loves me!"

Moomintroll loved him. Moomintroll. Loved. Him. He was going to collapse. He'd known the troll was fond of him, of course, waited for him, let him go. But that his feelings ran so  _deep..._  

As deep as his own. Maybe. He turned to Snorkmaiden.

"How much?"

She stared at him tiredly.

"How much what?"

"How much does he love me?"

"Snufkin. Please. That's a question for _him_ , not me. I just wanted to ask you how to let him down gently, but I can see that I'm getting nowhere."

Snufkin probably looked crazed, but he stood up to match her.

"You can't just tell me something like that and then expect me not to..."

"Freak out?" Snorkmaiden offered.

Snufkin didn't particularly want to use that word, but he could think of no other word more appropriate. He nodded sadly.

"I would tell him honestly. Moomin dislikes lies to keep him placated, and unless you're sure you can pull it off, just tell him the truth."

Snorkmaiden nodded. 

Then she leaned in to hug him, something Snufkin disliked a great deal but put up with to save face. 

He didn't mind Snorkmaiden, actually. She'd put up with him, so he would put up with her. She'd just listened to  _him_ go on and on about Moomin, which was a role reversal for sure.

And besides, they did share similar interests. 

 


End file.
